What a “Ghetto” Party at UCSD Can Teach Us About the Importance of Racial Diversity on Campus

Black History Month just ended. In honor of Black History (or perhaps its end), certain students at the University of California, San Diego decided to leave us with one last lesson about the importance of diversity.

Women were asked to come as “ghetto chicks” with “short, nappy hair” (Did we not learn anything from Don Imus?). The dress and behavior requirements for women were extensive and included the language below:

“For girls: For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes – they consider Baby Phat to be high class and expensive couture. They also have short, nappy hair, and usually wear cheap weave, usually in bad colors, such as purple or bright red. They look and act similar to Shenaynay, and speak very loudly, while rolling their neck, and waving their finger in your face. Ghetto chicks have a very limited vocabulary, and attempt to make up for it, by forming new words, such as “constipulated”, or simply cursing persistently, or using other types of vulgarities, and making noises, such as “hmmg!”, or smacking their lips, and making other angry noises, grunts, and faces. The objective is for all you lovely ladies to look, act, and essentially take on these “respectable” qualities throughout the day.”

Some students defended the party, declaring that political correctness had gone too far. Others left a cardboard sign reading “Compton lynching” at the campus media station, Koala TV. Also, a student-run show at the station featured a segment in which African Americans were called ungrateful and were referred to as the n-word. Most recently, there was a noose left in a public space in a campus library (though one student who turned herself in claims that she left it there inadvertently).

Students of all races have protested and expressed their fears about the actions, especially after the noose was left in the library. The administration has condemned the party and, in particular, the public display of a noose.

If anything, the partying and defending students’ behavior provide one solid piece of evidence for why diversity is important at educational institutions. Given the party creators’ own proclamation that their party was in honor of Black History Month, it is clear that they were equating blackness with the negative stereotypes that they described in their Facebook invitation.

At UCSD, however, only 2% of the students are African-American, which is hardly a critical mass. One has to wonder if such events, or even more so, the insensitive responses to protests about the party, would have occurred if students had more of an opportunity to interact across racial lines–something that is only likely to occur where there is broad racial diversity on campus (a critical mass of students from all minority groups). Would students have so quickly equated the racial stereotypes above with blackness had they actually been exposed to Africans Americans in their everyday experiences at UCSD as opposed to the racial caricatures they see on TV? The fact is that students today attend more segregated primary and secondary schools than students during the 1970s did. Given the decision in Parents Involved, that fact is unlikely to change. Given Proposition 209 in California, many students at UCSD are likely to remain as racially isolated in college as they were in elementary, middle, and high school.

All higher education institutions, not just UCSD, should take these events as a sign of what may occur more frequently on campus in the absence of racial diversity. The minority students at UCSD clearly see the link between a greater minority presence and a racially harmonious environment. They have called for a push to increase the number of both underrepresented faculty and students on campus. Hopefully, these actions will extend to institutions beyond UCSD.

(1) UCSD: A group of dumb white frat guys hold an event called a “Compton Cookout.” This pisses people off as it used Black History Month as a reason to mock black people with racist stereotypes. Also involved is some idiot who tries to use this opportunity for shameless self-promotion, who also happens to be black. To say the least, the guy is basically a wannabe Flavor Flav.

(2) UCSD: Another dumb white frat guy gets mad that blacks are offended of being relegated to a bigoted stereotype. He tries to hold another racist event.

(3) UCSD: Meanwhile, a terrible student media publication (which, after viewing their website consists of all white staff, nudity, staff wrestling each other, and well, not much else), pushes their limits calling black students “ungrateful n——” – not just that word, but also that apparently the black students owed them something. They have a reputation of being trashy, and at this point, administration and faculty rush to condemn racism by students of the campus and various protests begin. Funding is also cut from all student media at UCSD, creating an extra bitter controversy.

(4) UCSD: On Friday of that week, a noose is found in the library. Everything gets worked in a frenzy and – something I’ll address later – a large amount of white commenter’s on the internet begin claiming that is was probably a black student who planted it in order to gain more sympathy. In addition, there are rumors of a threatening note sent to the Guardian and a second noose, there was no second noose, and the threat seems to be just a rumor.

(6) UCSD: Protests basically happen at all schools in support of the students. There are various sit-ins, and teach-ins, and what have you. School administrators become pushed to be more active in fixing what’s going on.

I have not seen this noose person, but most of you blame her and conveniently forget wear this all originated.

Instead of an apology there has been steady escalation and now the noose. So, what exactly will the excuses be for this cowardly act that brings up memories of the confederate KKK of the South in their attempts to keep slavery and the non-whites in fear? Is it that are uneducated, is it that their parents planted these seeds of hate, is it that they are live in fear because our President in the white house is not 100% white. In my opinion this is what the republican party of “birthers, baggers and blowhards” have brought you. These kids follow what their dullard leaders say, they listen to Beck, Hedgecock, Hannity, O’Reilly, Rush and Savage and the rest of the Blowhards, they are young and dumb. Are you surprise at what they do when you know what they think?